COLOMBO (News 1st) – Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya outlined in Parliament the significant increase in government revenue recorded during the first six months of 2026, highlighting strong growth in both tax and non-tax income.
The Prime Minister stated that tax revenue, which stood at Rs. 2,152.1 billion during the first six months of 2025, increased by 25.9% to Rs. 2,710.6 billion during the corresponding period of 2026.
She further noted that revenue collected by the Inland Revenue Department rose from Rs. 1,037.9 billion in the first half of 2025 to Rs. 1,247.6 billion during the same period in 2026, reflecting a growth of 20.2%.
According to the Prime Minister, non-tax revenue also recorded a substantial increase. Revenue from non-tax sources rose from Rs. 169.6 billion during the first six months of 2025 to Rs. 243.6 billion during the corresponding period this year, marking a significant growth of 43.6%.
As a result, total tax and non-tax revenue increased from Rs. 2,321.7 billion in the first half of 2025 to Rs. 2,954.2 billion during the same period of 2026, representing an overall growth of 27.2%.
Dr. Amarasuriya explained that the increase in revenue collected by the Inland Revenue Department, Sri Lanka Customs, and the Excise Department had been the primary drivers behind the rise in overall government revenue.
She added that non-tax revenue had also increased notably due to the transfer of Rs. 42 billion in dividends from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, which made a significant contribution to state income during the period
